Numbers 23:1-10

Common English Bible

23 Balaam said to Balak, “Build me seven altars here and prepare for me seven bulls and seven rams.” ²Balak did as Balaam had said. Then Balak and Balaam offered a bull and a ram on each altar. ³Balaam said to Balak, “Stay by your entirely burned offering. I will go and perhaps the Lord will grant me an appearance and speak. Whatever he shows me, I will tell you.” Then he went off to a high outlook.

⁴God granted Balaam an appearance. Balaam said to him, “I have arranged seven altars and I have sacrificed a bull and a ram on each altar.”

⁵The Lord gave Balaam something to say, and said to him, “Return to Balak and say this.”

⁶Balaam returned to him, while he and all the officials of Moab were standing next to his entirely burned offering. ⁷Then he raised his voice and made his address:

“From Aram Balak led me,
    the king of Moab, from the eastern mountains.
Come, curse Jacob for me;
    come, denounce Israel.
⁸How can I curse
    whom God hasn’t cursed?
How can I denounce
    whom God hasn’t denounced?
⁹From the top of the rocks I see him;
    from the hills I gaze on him.
Here is a people living alone;
    it doesn’t consider itself among the nations.
¹⁰Who can count the dust of Jacob,
    or number a fourth of Israel?
Let me die the death of those who do right,
    and let my end be like his.”